


The Science Fiction Presidency

by squireofgeekdom



Category: Stargate SG-1, The West Wing
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 06:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8655055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squireofgeekdom/pseuds/squireofgeekdom
Summary: Shortly into his first term, President Bartlet is briefed on the Stargate program. He has some questions. (A one shot from a tumblr crossover prompt)





	

“Okay,” He says, resting his forehead on the heel of his hand, “Let me just make sure I understand this correctly.”

 

Nancy, Fitz, and Leo all watch the President carefully.

 

“In the middle of a mountain there is a - a device, a ‘gate’ - that allows people to walk through it and be transported to other planets. Other planets inhabited by aliens. Some of which built this - these? - these devices. That transport people instantaneously. Using wormholes, which, I mean, I don’t claim to be a physicist, but I was under the impression that those were theoretical.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Okay. Okay.” He gets up, paces across the situation room. “And the United States military knows about this. In fact, they’ve deliberately set up and have been using this device, in secret, to send teams of military officers -”

 

“Not all military, sir, some civilian experts have been included,”

 

Fitz coughs. 

 

“I’m sorry, Fitz, was there something you wanted to add?”

 

“Ah, yes, sir, one member of the teams - ah, one member is an alien.”

 

The President blinks. “You mean, a literal, from another planet alien, not -

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Okay. Okay. So we’re conscripting aliens now.”

 

“It’s my understanding that he volunteered, sir.”

 

“He? I - okay, whatever you say. So - we’re sending teams of military officers, civilians - please, tell me the civilians are cleared - and aliens - can we get aliens security clearances? I don’t know how we’d check their references. No - don’t answer that, I don’t - whatever. So we’re sending teams through in secret to explore these new planets and -” He flips through pages of his briefing book. “- fight aliens? Does NASA know about this? Does SETI?”

 

“No sir.” 

 

“Okay. Okay.” He sits back down. “Can I just - I didn’t realize I was going to be living in the sci-fi TV show presidency. Actually, haven’t I -”

 

“There was a TV show created with this premise, Sir. Wormhole X-treme. It was designed to help discredit any leaks about the program.”

 

The President stares. “Okay.” He looks at Leo. “You sure I’m not being pranked right now?”

 

“Pretty sure.”

 

“Okay.” He leans over and puts his head in his hands. 

 

After he’s silent for several long moments, Leo turns to Fitz and Nancy. “Guys, can we have the room?”

 

The door clicks shut after they leave, and Leo sits back down next to the President. 

 

“You really are sure I’m not being pranked? This isn’t an ‘oh, let’s make the new President look silly by telling him aliens are real’ thing? Because I know something happened with Donna and -”

 

“This is real.”

 

He looks at Leo. “Yeah, okay.”

 

“You want me to call Nancy and Fitz back in, have them finish the briefing?”

 

“I just -” He shakes his head. “Other planets, Leo! Other planets with alien life! I mean, my god, we’ve been spending billions trying to fling robots to Mars, our next door neighbor, and people - our people - can just - walk through a circle and be on another planet? By God, Leo, the sheer - we’re not alone in the universe! We’re not - the - how are we keeping this a secret? The - the - the implications of - of life -”

 

“Sir -”

 

“There are American citizens - every - every day, stepping foot on - on other planets.” He laughs. “And a few hours ago, I thought the furthest any person had ever been was the moon. Talk about one giant leap for mankind -” He looks up, sudden excitement on his face.

 

“Sir, whatever you’re thinking -”

 

“I can go.” He says. “I mean, the President has access, right? Take a tour, set foot on another planet, look around -”

 

“Sir, I can’t imagine -”

 

“Another world, Leo! You can’t tell me you aren’t even a little excited about this.”

 

Leo sighs. “Why don’t we talk about it with Nancy and Fitz, and run through the several thousand concerns the Secret Service would have -”

 

“Spoilsport. Are you planning on being this much of a spoilsport the next four years?”

 

“For the record, I wasn’t anticipating ‘secret alien hunting underground base’ to be the first thing we had to deal with in this White House.”

 

“Well, that’s just a lack of imagination.”


End file.
